Cleaners for air filters



1966 H. L. EVERROAD CLEANERS FOR AIR FILTERS Filed Sept. 8, 1964 III!INVENTOR Herberf L. Everroad Y ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,236,249CLEANERS FOR AIR FILTERS Herbert L. Even-cad, Denver, (3010., assignorto Everroad Supply Company, Denver, Colo. Filed Sept. 8, 1964, Ser. No.394,881 2 Claims. (Cl. 134-167) This invention relates to a cleaner forair filters and more particularly to a device for cleaning therelatively large air filters as used on heavy industrial engines.Filters of this type comprise hollow cylinders having perforated wallscontaining a relatively thick annular packing of accordion-pleated,folded filter paper in which the foreign materials are entrapped fromthe air flowing to the engine. The filters are formed in a variety ofdiffering diameters, differing lengths, and differing wall thicknessand, due to the relatively tightly-packed filter paper are exceedinglydifficult to clean. As a result, cleaning is rarely attempted since, itis usually more economical and less time consuming to simply replace theclogged filters with new filters.

The principal object of this invention is to provide an economical,highly efficient and easily used filter cleaning device by means ofwhich the dust, sand, dirt and other debris can be quickly andefficiently removed from used filters to restore the original free-airflow condition.

Another object is to provide a filter cleaning device for the abovepurpose which will not require driving motors or other power devices andwhich eliminates all hand labor.

A further object is to so construct the filter cleaner that filters ofvarious sizes and various wall thicknesses can be cleaned withoutchanges or adjustments in the cleaner and without damage to the filterelements.

Other objects and advantages reside in the detail construction of theinvention, which is designed for simplicity, economy and efficiency.These will become more apparent from the following description.

In the following detailed description of the invention, reference ismade to the accompanying drawing which forms a part hereof. Likenumerals refer to like parts in all views of the drawing and throughoutthe description.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a side-elevational view of the improved filter cleaner as itwould appear in its outer container ready for use;

FIG. 2 is a vertical diametric section through the outer containershowing the internal cleaning elements;

FIG. 3 is a top view of the complete unit;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, detail section to be laterdescribed;

FIG, 5 is a perspective illustration showing the type of filter theinvention is more particularly designed to clean; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary detail view of a supply connection incorporatinga T-fitting 43 and two manual shutoff valves 44 and 45 which may be usedto supply two different fluids either sequentially or admixed to thefilter cleaner.

The cleaning elements are assembled as a complete unit adapted to beremovably suspended in an outer container 10 provided with a drain plug41 in its bottom. The cleaning unit employs an outer frame having acircular top rod 11 from which, preferably three, vertical outer siderods 12 depend to support a horizontal open bottom member 13. The upperextremities of the outer side rods are bent outwardly and downwardly toform hooks 14 which are hung from notches 15 formed in the upper edge ofthe outer container 10.

An inner rod frame is supported in radially-spaced relation within theouter frame. The inner rod frame comprises three vertical suspensionrods 16, each extending ice inwardly and downwardly, as shown at 17,from the circular top rod 11 of the outer frame, thence verticallydownward to support an open horizontal platform 18. The suspension rodsare rigidly maintained in verticallyspaced relation by means of a bracering 39 welded thereto and extending downwardly to the open horizontalplatforom 18. The platform 18 is circular and is formed withradially-extending spokes 19 which support a horizontal rod ring 20 ofrelatively small diameter about the axis of the platform 18.

A water supply pipe 21 is welded or otherwise secured to the outer frameand terminates at its upper extremity in an outwardly extending shutoffvalve 22, to which a conventional hose may be attached, and at its lowerextremity in a horizontal pipe 23. The horizontal pipe 23 is welded orotherwise secured to the bottom member 13 and extends to an upturnedelbow 24, at the axis of the frame upon which a swivel fitting 25 ismounted. The swivel fitting is of any conventional type, As illustrated,a vertical, tubular stem 27 is rotatably mounted in the fitting 25 andcarries a coupling 26 which is maintained in sealed engagement with thefitting 25 by means of a compression spring 28. Thus, the coupling 26 isfree to rotate on the fitting 25 at the axis of the frames.

The coupling 26 furnishes water to a cross fitting 29 from the sides ofwhich two radial pipes 30 oppositely project to support, at their outerextremities, vertical outer spray pipes 31 in the annular space betweenthe outer side rods 12 and the suspension rods 16. The spray pipes areclosed at their tops by means of suitable caps 33. A plurality ofoutside spray heads 32 are mounted on and faced inward at a slightradial tangent from each of the spray pipes 31.

A riser pipe 34- arises from the upper outlet of the cross fitting 29upon which a plurality of T-fittings 35 are alternately joined by meansof pipe nipples 36. The T- fittings 35 and the nipples 36 form a centerspray standard 37. An inside spray head 38 is mounted in each of theT-fittings 35 to direct water sprays radially outward from the centerspray standard 37. It is preferred to employ a quick detachable coupler42 to connect the riser pipe 34 to the cross fitting 29.

The filter cleaner of this invention is designed to clean hollow,cylindrical, industrial air filters such as illustrated at all in FIG.5. The filter 4th is rested upon the horizontal platform 18 so as tosurround the standard 37, as indicated in broken line in FIG. 2. Wateris admitted to the supply pipe 21 and discharges against the exterior ofthe filter 40 from the outside spray heads 32 and against the interiorsurface from the inside spray heads 38 on the standard 37. Since theouter spray heads are positioned at a slightly inclined radial angle,the outer sprays will react to rotate all of the sprays about the axisof the standard.

The inner frame has a diameter in excess of the largest expected filterand the spray pipes have a length in excess of the longest expectedfilter so that no adjustments are necessary to handle any standard sizeof filter.

While a specific form of the improvement has been described andillustrated herein, it is to be understood that the same may be varied,Within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from thespirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired securedby Letters Patent is:

1. A device for cleaning engine air filters comprising: an outer openframe consisting of vertical side rods joining and supporting an openbottom member; an inner open frame supported concentrically within andin spaced relation to said outer frame, said inner frame consisting ofvertical suspension rods extending downwardly to an open horizontalplatform for supporting a tubular engine air filter; a water supplyconduit supported by said bottom member and extending concentricallyupward therefrom; a rotatable swivel fitting mounted on said conduitbelow said platform; a cross fitting mounted on said swivel fitting;spray pipes extending oppositely outward from said cross fitting andupwardly between said outer frame and said inner frame at each side ofsaid inner frame; a plurality of outer spray heads mounted on said spraypipes and positioned to direct water sprays radially inward against theexternal surface of an air filter resting on said platform; a riserstandard mounted on said cross fitting and extending axially upwardthrough said platform; and a plurality of inner spray heads mounted onsaid standard and positioned to direct water sprays radially outwardagainst the inner surface of the air filter resting on said platform.

2. A device for cleaning engine air filters as described in claim 1 inwhich said side rods terminate at their upper extremities in outwardlyextending hooks adapted to engage the rim of an outer container tosuspend said frames therein.

No references cited.

CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner.

1. A DEVICE FOR CLEANING ENGINE AIR FILTERS COMPRISING: AN OUTER OPENFRAME CONSISTING OF VERTICAL SIDE RODS JOINING AND SUPPORTING AN OPENBOTTOM MEMBER; AN INNER OPEN FRAME SUPPORTED CONCENTRICALLY WITHIN ANDIN SPACED RELATION TO SAID OUTER FRAME, SAID INNER FRAME CONSISTING OFVERTICAL SUSPENSION RODS EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY TO AN OPEN HORIZONTALPLATFORM FOR SUPPORTING A TUBULAR ENGINE AIR FILTER; A WATER SUPPLYCONDUIT SUPPORTED BY SAID BOTTOM MEMBER AND EXTENDING CONCENTRICALLYUPWARD THEREFROM; A ROTATABLE SWIVEL FITTING MOUNTED ON SAID CONDUITBELOW SAID PLATFORM; A CROSS FITTING MOUNTED ON SAID SWIVEL FITTING;SPRAY PIPES EXTENDING OPPOSITELY OUTWARD FROM SAID CROSS FITTING ANDUPWARDLY BETWEEN SAID OUTER FRAME AND SAID INNER FRAME AT EACH SIDE OFAID INNER FRAME; A PLURALITY OF OUTER SPRAY HEADS MOUNTED ON SAID SPRAYPIPES AND POSITIONED TO DIRECT WATER SPRAYS RADIALLY INWARD AGAINST THEEXTERNAL SURFACE OF AN AIR FILTER RESTING ON SAID PLATFORM; A RISERSTANDARD MOUNTED ON SAID CROSS FITTING AND EXTENDING AXIALLY UPWARDTHROUGH SAID PLATFORM; AND A PLURALITY OF INNER SPRAY HEADS MOUNTED ONSAID STANDARD AND POSITIONED TO DIRECT WATER SPRAYS RADIALLY OUTWARDAGAINST THE INNER SURFACE OF THE AIR FILTER RESTING ON SAID PLATFORM.